Nephrolepis plant named ‘Sunjest’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Nephrolepis  plant named ‘Sunjest’, characterized by its mostly upright and somewhat outwardly arching plant habit; uniform and symmetrical in form; compact and dense growth habit; fronds that are somewhat curled with flexible rachis; and dark green-colored pinnae that are incised and spaced closely together.

Botanical designation: Nephrolepis obliterata.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunjest’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis fern plant, botanically known as Nephrolepis obliterata, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunjest’.

The new Nephrolepis fern is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the Nephrolepis obliterata cultivar Kimberly Queen, not patented. The new Nephrolepis fern was discovered by the Inventor in a controlled environment in Fallbrook, Calif. in June, 2003.

Since August, 2003, asexual reproduction by divisions of the new Nephrolepis fern in a controlled environment at Fallbrook, Calif. has shown that the unique features of this new Nephrolepis fern are stable and retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Nephrolepis fern has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype. The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plants grown in Fallbrook, Calif., under conditions generally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunjest’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunjest’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis:

-   -   1. Mostly upright and somewhat outwardly arching plant habit;         uniform and symmetrical in form.     -   2. Compact and dense growth habit.     -   3. Fronds that are somewhat curled with flexible rachis.     -   4. Dark green-colored pinnae that are incised and spaced closely         together.

The new Nephrolepis fern is most similar to its parent cultivar, the cultivar Kimberly Queen. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Fallbrook, Calif., the new Nephrolepis fern differed from plants of the cultivar Kimberly Queen in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nephrolepis fern were more compact and         denser than plants of the cultivar Kimberly Queen.     -   2. Plants of the new Nephrolepis fern had shorter fronds and         pinnae than plants of the cultivar Kimberly Queen.     -   3. Fronds and pinnae of plants of the new Nephrolepis fern were         curled whereas fronds and pinnae of plants of the cultivar         Kimberly Queen were straight.

The new Nephrolepis fern can be compared to plants of the Nephrolepis cultivar Nr. 21, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 14,995. However, in side-by-side comparisons, the new Nephrolepis fern differed from plants of the cultivar Nr. 21 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Nephrolepis fern were more compact than         plants of the cultivar Nr. 21.     -   2. Fronds of plants of the new Nephrolepis fern were curled         whereas fronds of plants of the cultivar Nr. 21 were straight.     -   3. Pinnae of plants of the new Nephrolepis fern and the cultivar         Nr. 21 differed in pinnae coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Nephrolepis fern.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Sunjest’.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical fronds of ‘Kimberly Queen’ (left) and ‘Sunjest’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants in the aforementioned photographs and used in the following description were grown under conditions which closely approximate commercial production conditions during the late summer and early fall in 15-cm containers in a polypropylene-covered shadehouse in Fallbrook, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 21e ° C to 29.5° C., night temperatures ranged from 15.5° C. to 19° C. and light levels were about 2,800 footcandles. Plants in the photographs and used for the description were about 18 weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the description color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1986 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Nephrolepis obliterata cultivar Sunjest. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Nephrolepis     obliterata cultivar Kimberly Queen, not patented. -   Propagation: By tissue culture.     -   -   Time to initiate roots.—About three weeks at 18.3° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About nine             weeks at 26.6° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About eleven             weeks at 26.6° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; dark brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Growth habit.—Mostly upright and somewhat outwardly arching             plant habit; uniform and symmetrical in form. Compact and             dense growth habit. Vigorous.         -   Plant height.—About 32 cm from soil line to top of plant             plane.         -   Plant width.—About 44 cm.         -   Frond description.—Leaf arrangement: Bi-pinnate. Frond             length: About 32 cm. Frond width: About 6 cm. Rachis length:             About 32 cm. Rachis diameter: About 1.5 mm. Rachis strength:             Strong; flexible. Rachis texture: Pubescent. Rachis/frond             orientation: Curling; apex, recurved. Rachis color: 137B to             137C.         -   Pinnae description.—Shape: Roughly deltoid, elongate,             narrow. Length: About 3 cm. Width: About 6 to 8 mm. Quantity             of pinnae: About 100 per frond. Apex: Acuminate. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Towards the apex, irregularly incised;             towards the base, entire. Aspect: Curling; undulate.             Attachment: Sessile. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Pinnate. Color: When             developing, upper surface: 141B. When developing, lower             surface: 146B. Fully developed, upper surface: 137A;             venation, 137A. Fully developed, lower surface: 137B;             venation, 137A.         -   Spores.—None observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Nephrolepis ferns has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Nephrolepis fern have been     observed to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from about −1° C. to     about 43° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis plant named ‘Sunjest’, as illustrated and described. 